Thill or pole coupling.



Patented Mar. n, 1902.

.a m L. P. w me E m P L n H 1 0 3 5 9 n N (Ap umim med Dec. 12 19: 1.;

(no Mode'l.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. GAIN, OF WAUPAOA, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO IRA C. EDWARDS, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

THILL OR POLE COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 695,030, dated March 11, 1902.

Application filed December 12, 1901. Serial No. 85,562. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. CAIN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Waupaca, in the county of 'Waupaca and State of Wisconsin,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thiil and Pole Couplings; and I do'hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,- andcxact description thereof.

My invention has for its object to provide simple, economical, antirat-tler, and dustproof'thill and pole couplings, the same con sisting in certain peculiarities of construction and combination of parts hereinafter particularly set forth with reference to the accompanying drawings and subsequently claimed.

Figure 1 of the drawings represents aside elevation of a thill or pole coupling in accordance with my invention and illustrates a portion of same inconnection with an axle, the latter being in transverse section; Fig. 2, a sectional view indicated by line 2 2 in the first figure; Fig. 3, a similar view indicated byline 3 3 in the second figure; Fig. A, a like view indicated by line 4: A in the third figure, and Fig. 5 an end view of a slotted and recessed cylindrical block constituting a movable part of the coupling. 7

Referring by letter to the drawings, A indicates a circular holder havingan upper radial slot 11 and a horizontal rear shank c, the shank being shown made fast to an axle 13, against the under side of same, by means of an ordinary clip O and nuts (I run on the clip ends extended through apertures provided in said shank. Fitting the holder A is a radially-slotted cylindrical block D, having a circular central recess 6 therein deeper than its slot said recess and slot being intercepting. Recess e in block D is circular, and a spiral spring E therein is under sufficient normal compression against the inside of the holder A to prevent accidental displacement of said block. Holder A, block D, and spring E, constructed and arranged as above specified,constitnte the axle-section of my improved coupling, the thill or pole section being a suitablybent iron F, that is preferably widest and necessarily flat at the rear end. Couplingsection F is shown recessed at the rear to provide side projections 9, it being also provided with a rear central longitudinal recess h and a transverse angular slot 6 forward of the latter recess, separated therefrom by a web j of the metal. The thickness of the rear portion of coupling-section F is such that it can be readily engaged with slot 5 of holder A and slot f of block D aforesaid when these two slots are in register, as is normally the case. To facilitate the engagement, one side of the recessed and slotted portion of coupling-section F has a flaring indenture It, the narrowest portion of which is immediately adjacent to slot 11 and as wide as the length of same.

' To join the coupling-sections, the thill or pole section F is held in position to have its recessed and slotted end enter the registering slots 12 f of holder A and block D of the axle section, pressure being exerted against spring E by the recessed portion h of said thill or pole section. The spring having been sufficiently compressed slot 11 in the thill or pole section of .the coupling is engaged by holder A of the axle-section of said coupling, said thill or pole section being then movable with the'block D in said holder.

The ends of block D are shown provided with semicircular continuations f of the recess f therein, the diameter of these continuations being such that shoulders f are left in said recess to abut the rear edge portions of the thill or pole section of the coupling flanking the recess 71. therein, and the projections g of said coupling-section serve to exclude dust from said continuations of the block-recess when the union of both coupling-sections is effected. However, it is practical to omit the recess continuations of the block D and projections g of the thill or pole section F of the coupling. A cap Gis shown in rigid connection with the thill or pole section of the coupling, arranged to exclude dust from slot 1) of the axle-section of said coupling when said thill or pole section is swung past said slot.

Expansive force of spring E serves to press thill or pole section F of the coupling and the block D snugagainst the block-holderA of the axle-section of said coupling with which they are engaged. Hence compensation is had for wear and loose play to prevent rattling in the aforesaid coupling.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A thill or pole coupling comprising a radially-slotted circular holder having a shank attachable to an axle, a holder-fitting cylindrical block having a radial slot and a circular recess intercepting each other therein, a spiral spring in the block-recess normally under compression against the inside of said holder, and a longitudinally-recessed and transversely-slotted thill or pole iron engageable with the aforesaid holder and block against resistance of the spring.

2. A thill or pole coupling comprising a radially-slotted circular holder having a shank attachable'to an axle, a holder-fitting cylindrical block havinga radial slot and a circular recess intercepting each other therein, a spiral spring in the block-recess normally under compression against the inside of said holder, and a longitudinally recessed and transversely-slotted thill or pole iron having a flaring indenture on one side thereof in rear of its slot, said iron being engageable with the aforesaid holder and block against resistance of the spring.

3. A thill orpole coupling comprising a radially-slotted circular holder having a shank attachable to an axle, a holder-fitting cylindrical block having a radial slot and a circular recess intercepting each other therein, a spiraljspring in the block-recess normally under compression against the inside of said holder, a longitudinally-recessed and transversely-slotted thill or pole iron engageable with the aforesaid holder against resistance of the spring, and a holder-slot dust-cap in connection with the thill or pole iron.

4. A thill or pole coupling comprising a radially-slotted circular holder having a shank attachable to an axle, a holder-fitting cylindrical block having aradial slot and a circular recess intercepting each other therein, a spiral spring in the block-recess normally under compression against the inside of said holder and a longitudinally -recessed and transversely-slotted thill or pole iron having rear side projections constituting dust guards for continuations of the block-slot inward from shoulders in the same abutting the rear edge portion of said iron when the latter is engaged with the aforesaid holder and block against resistance of the spring.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have. hereunto set my hand, at Waupaca, in the county of WVaupaca and State of WVisconsin, in the presence of two witnesses. 7

CHARLES E. CAIN.

\Vitnesses:

IRA G. EDWARDS, ALFRED JOHNSON. 

